Student media faces censorship from own Union

Students are set to vote in a referendum to decide whether student media should be allowed to report on certain political groups.

The campus wide vote comes after an Extraordinary Better Union forum held to discuss the idea proved inconclusive. Online voting will open for four days, from November 26. 1,500 votes must be cast in order to make the result legitimate.

The idea was submitted after Leeds Student published an interview with MEP Nick Griffin, leader of the British National Party. Under the new policy, all reporting, including interviews with representatives of groups like the BNP would be banned from all Union media outlets.

This ban would extend to broadcast as well as print media, and to creative writing. Leeds Student is launching a campaign against the idea. Editor Lucy Snow, commented: “If this idea passes, it will be nothing short of censorship.

The Griffin article provoked healthy debate, and that should be one of the main aims of student media. Students don’t need to be protected from extreme views – they should have the freedom to interrogate and challenge them.”